Automatic weft-replenishing loom.



B. s. STIMPSON.

AUTOMATIC) WEFT BEPLENISHING LOOM. APPLICATION mm) KAY 11, 1908.

972,942. Patented Oct. 18,1910.

' L'Ziujs s (as. Invevufbz? I Y y E. S. STIMPSON. AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

972,942, Patented Oct. 18, 191 0.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

t H; F 7 51 Kl/6070655 6s.

E. s. STIMPS ON. AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

m m 4. V 7 w 1 H t T m W S v d 5 L w 7 m I t m a A d m W b 7 9 m1 m m F .ECZW607CLSWSOTL w UNITED strA'r lis rg rrzirr oa s-"toe.

S. 'BT-IMIEBSDN, 0F HOPEDA'IJE, MASSACHUSETTS, AESIG'NOB T0 DBAQEQRI (303W- QF HGPEDAL'E, MASSACHUSETTS, A GORPOB/AII'ON 0F AII DbMIAEIIG WEFIE-REBIJ'ENISH ING 1100M.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ect. 1 8, 1 939.

zummn meama zii, mos. Serial No. 32,1 3..

215.. :type

sonict; The .now wellsknown Northrop or Dre-per. loom-shown, for. example, in United fitates lietters *Batent- No. 529,940, Nov. 27-,

18914, representsthe-typeto which the pres- .21) entnimprovementsarelate.

The present v 1Improvements consist in the novlmergezine for, spare =weft carriers and the ipartswhicli direotly oooperate therewith. v-aseorglegnoe wltli the .presentinven- 'ZF-ttiQmthe sstand'svertieeilly, "re11lenisliiri-ent: has

* n'seffi eoteditheimaggezine isroteted Quests-p, hrin giltg one. a of like weft-.earriers iiito wmeg-isterww-ith =a :ogiui'deeehute, ,throu'gh when ;it drops sand '2b. "which #it isdirected iiitogqjaweftteerriierrtro tier; where ritllies -in :a

ehmizemsl positionidireetly; over :theshuttle- *lmcxmtionesendiof :35-5: 011ml "flout "ether; .in cooperative trensterrer ree y to he fork-ingashu t-l w fl re employed suitable a I .oli theeseweral'aspa reaweftearriers {appropriate-.1 mansofor 'Eautomntioally moving the 'feederistep byestep and suitetble -means *for .ziii'lthn ir wentioelg itioiisaamd for assisting .'theii sfleeeent ohesgfone toithez holder.

. Gite oi ftheepresent iimproy'e- 'mentsis -il'lustmtecl in the :aeoom-penyin-g IFigu're? 1', ;is..sa .vi'ew looking-z toward one-i =worlii fg=fwelt .approsohes exhaustion, in thej weftsrepleni'sliing looms adapted to mammgfti in -tliewell kno itlreiley when thewlay =is --at The-spare-"wefteeerrier' required. 1h connection.

ees ifor's te g were *of'i'the w'veft-ends --"weft-c'errier;ffrorn the ei-rtometiea, :y

rtheespare-:Weftearr-irs in plaee f invention ttut. themegofim side of the loom and illustrating thekpresent improvements, together with silflioieiit of the I known parts of the loom to enable the invention to be understood. Fig.2,is a plan View of the magazine and associated per-ts, a portion-being broken away toienahle the fi ure to be madeonanample-soa'le. -Fi 3,I1s 21 ertical section of the magazine eniassooiated-perts in a plane indicated-by the :line 33 in Fig. 2, the spare weftscarriers and their retainers being broken -aw d g shortened to'permit illustration 0n a,n;.a1i1jle er scale. -.Fig. l, .is-a plan View of the'hol which holds the .active spar'e .weft wlP-riers --in t5 -transferringj position. Fig. .5, is ga vertical section K through 'the holder, in the same @gLe-ne 1as-Eig..3, showing. thelaotive weft-carrier in the act of being trensferred to :the shutt e- Fig. 6, is a :erossseetionqin the plane injdi- -7 0' 'cated by the,line-6 +6 in- Fig. 4. FEigs-"Y,

; and *8, are detail Wertioal sections of the-amqg- .azine illustrating the fee ding qmeehaiiism son.

- res.

Referring amusig; 1, -.-A', =is a ortio ofthe" .frent framew'ork-of theflogm ts ithe breast-beam" and em git transferregtfsuoh and C, is the' usua perts-ia'ctfin u'st Eig a mailer lsjeegle than athe eis an 5 '1 front center. The 1nsertion' of weit-eal'rier ejeetsthe-spenflfifan- ,pent

mgr-shuttle. v I

The =cheirazt:teristio featlire, .of the means of a horizontal rotary feeder F, provided at its periphery with recesses a (Figs. 2 and 3), to accommodate the weft-carriers. At one point in its periphery the weft-carrier supporting plate E, has an ening b,-

sufiicient large to permit the ownward escape of any weft-carrier which is brought over it. This 0 nin communicates with the upper end 0 a-guide-chute Gr (Fig. 3),

which curves downwardly and inwardly'andterminates at its lower inner end at the'horizontal holder which is ada ted to yieldingly support anot er spare we t-carrier D, in a horizontal position immediately below the active 'end of the transferrer B, this spare weft-.carrler being hereln referred to as the active spare weft-carrier. As soon as a transfer of a fresh weft-carrier into the shuttle has been effected, the horizontal feeder F,

is rotated one step (in the direction in which the hands of a watch turn when looking at Fig. 2-), thereby bringing one of the weftcarriers D, directly over the openin b, in

-the supporting plate E. Thereupon t e said weft-carrier, being unsupported, drops down into the guide-chute G, and is directed thereby, buttend first, into the holder beneath the transferrer B, so that it occupies the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 3, be-

coming the active spare weft-carrier ready to be inserted into'the shuttle when the next res plenishment is 'to'be effected.

The stationary weft-carrier supporting plate E, of the magazine is secured to a bracket H, which ism turn fastened to the breast-beam or other stationary part of the loom. The feeder is a horizontal wheel turning on a vertical axis formed by a stationary boss 0, fastened to. the plate E, as shown in Fig.3. The feeder F, is rotated step by step in advahoe,one step each time the transferrer B acts.

Y notches cl (Figsf7 and 8) on itsunderside plate E, and t e pawl has an inclined face f,

intowhich enters a feed pawl I. This pawl extends'throu h a guiding aperture e, in the which is adapted to co-act with an inclined surface 9, constituting one of themargins of-theaperture e. The pawl I, atitslower end is'plvot'ed. to a swinging arm 72., as best shown m Fig. 9. The pawl is also connected with; this arm by means of a. spring i s lowered (Fig. 9 which turns the pawl into the position own in Fig. 8, when the awl is out of the way of the feeder The arm I, is adjustably connected with a swinging lever J,. the outer end of which is cons nectedby a link 'K,-with the upper arm of the. transferrerB, 'a'sbest' shown in Fi 1. When the upper arm of the transferreris swung down to effect a transfer of weft-car- :riers, the feed pawl' I,' is. likewi se. moved down to'the' position shown in Fig.8, so that I it no'longer contacts with the feeder As The -feeder has a series ofsoon as this pawl is lowered out of contact with the feeder, its spring 1', throws it forward into the position shown 'in Fi' 8. When a transfer has been com leted an the transferrer B, swings u pwar' ly to its nor mal position (in a customary manner and by the customary means), the pawl 'I, likewise rises and enters. the ,next succeeding notch d, in the feeder F, being directed into the same by the spring i, which forces the point of the pawl lnto contact with the adjacent margin of the aperture 6. When the point ofthe pawl has entered this notch d, its inclined face f, encounters the stationary surface whereby the pawl i's swung, against t e resistance of its spring, tothe position shown in Fig. 7. This moves the feeder F, to the right, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, thus moving the feeder one step, and .sufii ciently far to bring the, leading weftcarrier D, over the opening 0?, so that it drops down into the transferrer trough.

The weft-carrier holder com-prises two parallel yielding swinging plates L, L, best shown in Figs-.4, 5 and 6. Each plate L, is pivotally mountedat its inner end in a portion of the bracket H, and at its outer end in a plate M, integral with the lower end. of the guide-chute -G (and constituting a support therefor), said plate M, being secured bya horizontal bolt Z (Fig. 4) to the bracket H. -Each holder plate- L, is normally upheld by a yielding spring m, shown in Fig. 4-. When a weft-carrier drops by gravity, butt end first, it" passes into the trough constituted bythe then spring-uplifted plat-es L, beneath the transferrer B,

and is stoppedin proper position by its butt end encountering the bracket '11, which constitutes an abutment therefor. When' the transferrer B, descends and encounters the active weft-carrier in the holder, the plates L, yield and permit thedownward passage of the spare-weft-carrier into the shuttle-N,-

beneath,- as illustratedin Fig.6. I a

Itfsometimes occurs that the. spent weft carrier in the shuttle is not exactly beneath the fresh Weft-carrier when a transfer -'is made, as indicated in Fig. 5, To properly effect-[a transfer under such circumstances it has long been customary toprovide the. shuttle with an incline O, inloi'de'rthat when the fresh weft-carrier descends, it may encounter the incline and through the relative endwise movement of shuttle and-Wcft-car-' rierthus -vresu lting the .weft-cari'iermay properly enter the shuttle and be held thereby. The presentimp'rovements include special means for insuring this relative lengthwise movement of shuttle and incoming weft-carrier.

Beneath the outer ends. of the; arts, 3 ,1,-

.$0 as" to be beneath th'e tlP of thea-ctivefspare I weft-carrier 'D, is a spring-upheld guide plate 1, as shown. in Figs. 3 and 5. The 't-mnsferrer B, has a pusher Q, pivoted thereto and normally held in the inclined pofii't-ion shown in Fig. 3, by a spring 6 his pnshe being hell in this inclined pos1- tio'n, affords ample room for the entrance oftihe tlijop'pingweft ezirrier into the holder. This "pusher extends rather, more than half the length of the weft-carrier, reaching 10 from the butt, outwardly, and it is shaped onitsnnder side, as shown in Fig. 1, 'to conftiifmftofthe curvature off-the butt and. weft on.thefiwe'ffit-currier. -'When the transferrergdescends, pusher Q, first comes in con- 16 tnet'with'the butto'f't-he 'iveft-car-r-ier, whereupo yth sjiring R, yields, thereby bring 'ingfthqpjuier nto substantially the honmental? 'on the'hody of the weft as well '20 his upon t ie buttof'theWeft-carrier, thereby =i n u rin -11 directdownward push upon the descent" 'ive'fteearrier. During the descent diff je weft-carrier its tip encounters thejgildi'hg tip-guide P, shown in Fig. 26 5., t' 'e--res'istnfnee of whose spring aids in pyevgntinzfgsnyoutward longitudinal thrust 657mm,- eseendin weft-carrier,- since it.

" fth' ige to, press endwise upon; ;we-ft ca1rrier.f 'I li e-clescending hus moves squarely downward,

shuttle, and, if the shuttle is ingfthe; osition shown in Fig, of the escending weftmarrier h anc'li ne *(9, and, moves to the hat n ering 'W ftwarr f be :11

he. 5 -'th ti p until the th-the-s gentw 5- hjemagazine withe a la out; and a isdesirable G, sh'mildj 'betart/ d rce in --th=e right di p ne tial: o

' t h ere-= is -.'employed, for

I rimss shewn'in ig-ae theti- 5e tenhsimd fits i n ition shown in Fig. 5, so that it he spent weft-carrier beneath {from and rotates -w-ith the fed .cQmiBetedtherew-ifhfiby $11 [as there are recesses 'a,= in theffeedei'izcarrier, Wham-brought fieseentttofthe transterringholder.

-theme mama-yield 3.) ,whieh' is open't'o mud'bgattomran ing spare weft-carrier. The spring U, presses this tip-engager down upon the tip of the weft-carrier and this pressure aids in" holding the weft-carrier in position and steadies it against accident-a1 movement. Azt the same time, when a weft-earner is brought into position over the discharge opening 6, above the guide-chute G, the tension of the corresponding spring U starts the Weft-earrier on its downwar movement and insures its plOlllptdGSCBIit totheftmans 'ng holtler. Each weft-carrier is fiirther netalned'in'jposition in the magazine by reasanof' theshape ofthe recess a, ks shown in 2, this 're-r eess embraces more than one-half of the aircumference of the weft-carrier butt, the mouth of the recess bein less than the (liameter of the butt. Tn fi Iing'the magazine each weft-carrier is inserted-butt end first? into its'recess a, and the retainer. "S, is-lifted far enough, against the resistance of its spring U,'to enable the tipofythe wefbcan rier to pass downwardlybeneath the engager \V. Or, all of theretainers S, Where the magazine. is empty, can be lifted "far enough to elevate their bends t, above-the sockets T, and the retainers-'ean then be swung until their enga gei's Vii; are behind the recesses a, the reta;iners: S ,-Ibeing mains tainetl in this position by t-l1eir:-ben ds 6, Test-- in g on the tops of th'e-'s'0okets Ti "The Weft-- 'oarriers may then be 'put' in place and onswinging the retainers 'forward'ithey will ibje pulled-back iiitot' i=1 respective soek'ets by their respeet-ives' gs; :U, thereby hri-ng inrg theirt p ':=dtiwn=i1pion=the-tips I't'is'nieeessa-ny at he' several spare; weit etmriers v -li -r 'cur'eti; To this end, thereiisqawthread i "elder cons sting of 5a her z, ring .oeenpymgr This, thread helderhas: .s ma'nyshown, 1 each stud has n, spri y pr essed tem sien disk Y, topgri-p the-three? Whemeaeh weit c'arrier-is int =in-ilace the: its thread is" Estelle/(i magazine. atythex-m re a point on -the threadheliierk. e er: rotates step by step,- the-itlr read seem-ace :wise rotates,- thepeby maintaining thei m-read; of each weitt-earrierin-plate rehtt n thereto. The zg lii'amhlite G,

you-t at the 1 top,- ass own-iii. iii-g1.-

hating threug hit s I the tmns- P has-:a-iengtm K con'ihination, a holder for the active spare weft-carriers one by one from the. magazine ing shuttle; {a magazine for spare weftcarriers located-above the holder a'n'd hold-j- 'ing the weft-carr1ers n vertical .position; a

and the lay moves backwardly, the thread drops down through this rearward divergcnce y, of the threadslot Z, and is then free tran'sferrer for advancing the feeder one combination, a holder for the active spare one step for each action of the transferrer.

combination, a holder for theiactive'spare .weft-carrier; a transferrer whichtransters weft-carriers one-by one from the magazine I combination, a

hangs in the position shown, extending in a propendirection. from the weft-carrier. to the thrcad-holder t6 enable the proper automatic threading of the self-threading shuttle to take place in the customary way of the Draper loom. The thread is prevented from sagging down into the way of the picker w, because the lower end of the thread-slot (see Fig. (3) is diverted inwardly at 11 'W hen the wcft-carrier-is inserte into the shuttle N,

between the inserted weftoarricr and the thread-h0lder, so that it draws ofl freely fron the weft-carrier on the first flight of the replenished shuttle to the other side of the loom.

I claim 1-: A weft-replenishing loom having, in

weft-carrier; atransferrer which transfers said weft-carrier from the holder to the working shuttle; a magazine for spare weft-car-- riers located above the holder and holding the weft-carriers in vertical position butt end downga guide-chute leading from the magazine to the holder; a horizontal rotary feeder which feeds the spare weft-carriers one by one from the magazine into the guide-chu'te; and means governed by the step for each action ,of-the transferrer.

2. A weft-replenishing loom having, in

weftcarrier; a transferrer which transfers said weft-carrier from the'holder-to'the working shuttle; a magazine for spare weft-car riers located above 1the= holder and holdingi the Weft-carriers. in Vertical position; a guide-chute leadingfrom the mz'igazine to the holder; a feederovhi'oh feeds the spare into the. guide-chute; and means governed by the transferrer for advancing the-feeder 3. A 'weft replenishing loom. having, in

said weft-carrier from the holder to the workguide-ehute leading from the-magazine to the holder; a feeder which feeds the spare into the. guide-chute; and means for advancing the feeder one step for each action of the tran'sferrer. y

4. A weft-replenishing loom having, in elder for: the active spa-re weft carrierg a r-insferi'ci' avl ich transfers -said;weft-carrier- ,froin theholder to the work ing shuttle; a 'ma'gazifne fo'r'spare weft-l carriers located above the holder; :1 guidechute leading from the ma azine to the holder; a feeder which feeds the spareweftcarriersone by one from the magazine into the guide-chute; and means for advancing the feeder one step for each action of the transferrer.

5. A. magazine for a weft-replenishing loom having a fiat stationary horizontal plate upon which stand the butts of- Vertically disposed weft-carriers, and having a discharge aperture, in combination with a horizontal step-by-steprotating feeder above the said plate having a series of recesses one for the buttof each spare weft-carrier, and a corresponding series of sockets; a corresponding series of bent weft-carrier retainers mounted to move up and down and turn in said sockets, each retainer having a tip-engager adapted to extend over and engage the tipof a weft-carrier; and a spring tending-to depress each retainer.

(3. A magazine for Weft-replenishing loom having a fiat stations, horizontal plate upon which stand vertically disposed weftearriers, and having adischarge aperture,

"in combination with a horizontal step-bystep rotating feeder above the said, plate hav- 1 ing a series ofrecesses one forthe butt of each spare weft-carrier,and acorresponding series of sockets; a corresponding series of weft-carrier retainers mounted to i nove hp and (lowirin said sockets, each retainer having a tip-,engager adapted to'exte'nd over and engage the tip of a weft-carrier;-

and a spring tending to depress each re- 100 tainer.

7. A magazinevfor 'a Weft-replenishing loom having a plate'upon which stand vertically disposed weft-carriers, in combination with a feeder which feeds the spare Weft- 1 05 carrier from said plate; and a tip-engager adapted to extend ;over and y eldlngly en. gage t-hfl tip of a weft-carrier;

8I A. 'fieftaeplenishingdoom having, in

combination, a transferrer; a holder beneath, 1 10.

tlieact'ive end of the transferrer to hold the I active s'pare wefte'earrierin a horizontal position; a stationary horizontal plate above the'helde' to; s'np'port'spare wefhe'arriers, a A

tending threadslot 'open top andf' bottoni, said slot having a rearward benfzl'near'dts bottom; a rotary horizontal-feeder adapted to feed from said Iplate to said chute sp weft-carr ers oney one; a threadolder consisting of a. horizontal-ringsuspended;=3

from and moving With-said feeder plu a ty ofthread stu s ca ried hold te leading from said plate tUSa-id' 1 15 said ohute' having-a lengthwlse-exare rotary feeder adapted to feed spare weftcarriers from said magazine one by one; and a thread holder consisting of a horizontal rin movi-n with said feeder.

A We t-r'ep'lenishing loom having, in combination, a magazine which supports spa-re Weft-carriers in a vertical position; a feeder adapted to feed from sai ma azine spare weft-carriers one by one; and a t readhol'der' moving with said feed-er.

11. A weft-replenishing loom having, in combination, a transferrer; a holder beneath the active end of the transferrer to hold the active spare Weft-carrier ,in a horizontal position;- a' stationary horizontal plate above. the holder to support spare weft-carriers; a gnide-ohute'leading from said plate to said holder; said chute having a lengthwise extending thread-slot open top and bottom, said slot having a rearward bend near its bottom; and a feeder adapted to feed from said-plate to said chute spare weft-carriers one by one.

12; A weft-replenishing loom having, in combination, a transferrer; a holder to hold the active spare weft-carrier; a ma azine above the holder to support spare weft-car- Tiers; a guide-chute leadin from said magazine to said holder, sai chute having a lengthwise extending thread-slot open top an bottom; and a feeder adapted to feed from said magazine to said chute spare'weftcarrier's one by one.

13. A holder for a spare weft-carrier 'in a weft-replenishing loom having, in combination a fixed abutment at one end for the butt of a weft-carrier, two separated parallel l'iorizontal spring-lifted plates upon which the weft-carrii'ir rests, the front one of said plates having a rearward lip extending be- .neath the tip ofthe weft-carrier, and a spring uplifted tip-guide beneath said li 1a. A holder for a spare weft-carrier iii aweft replenishing loom havin in combinamdwiseu'pon 7 tion, two separated. paralfel horizontal spring-lifted supports u onwhich the weftearrier rests.

15. A weft-replenishing loom having, in eombination,-- ayielding holder in which a spare weft-carrier is loosely held in horizt'intal .aositinn, and a spring-u lifted .t'ip- Independent of, s 1d ieidigg holder,

mmer durtheti or the'weft mplenishin l o having, in c mbimenu, We raj dot; e weft eu-r er f an i havi g I 1; eaten the ,oi the we scarring adapted to moveor' rock I f permit of the passage ofthe weft-earner in h see u loom which holds the spare wefitmwrriers by one from the sup-port of the magazine,

and a tran-sferrer which transfers such removed weft-carriers into Weaving position in the loom. i 19. A magazine for a weft-replenishing loom which holds the spare weft-carriers in vertical position butt ends down, in combination with a feeder which removes the Weftcarriers one by one-from the support of the magazine so that each weft-carrier in turn drops from the magazine'butt end first.

20. A horizontally disposed magazine for a oft-replenishing loom which holds the spare weft-carriers-in vertical position butt ends down, and having provisions for moving said weft-carriers horizontally, 21.. A horizontally disposed magazine for a weft-replenishing loom which holds the spare weft-carriers in vertical position, and having provisionsfor moving saidweft-carriershorizontally. 22. A transferrer for a wfflrizplnishing loom having a. pusher pivotedth'ereto above s ring tending to lift oneend of saidpus er.

25. A transferrer loom, having a pusher pivoted thereto, said pusher extending lengthwise ofthe active spare weft-carrier and adapted to contact with the body of weft thereon.

26. I1 a weft-re1a1enishing l om, mega each side of said tape I corresponding a direct line. when being transferred.

ferrer to transfer-the weftsoarriers into for. tsexwen nm under said i? 11-0 for a weftsreplenishing.

and means, comprising two pivotally mountsaid opening, to contact with the weft on ed spring-actuated supports, one ateech side the Weft-carrier; and ide the weft-earrier of said opening, to guide the weft-earriers directly into the shuttii into the shuttle in the same direction as the In witness whereof, I have hereunto direction of movement of the transferrer. signed my name in the presence of two sub- 15 28. In a weft-replenishing loom, a magascribing Witnesses. zine for weft-carriers having a discharge EDWARD S. STIMPSON. opening for the transfer of a weft-carrier, -Witnesses: and a pivotally mounted spring-actuated GEORGE E. CHANDLER, 10 support for the weft-carrier at each side of EDWARD DANA Osooon. 

